Outfit: Down With the Kids (Or Not…)

I really, really hate any sort of suggestion that women should stop wearing certain styles of clothes after they reach a certain age. Like, despise it with a passion. The idea that a 29 year old is fine to wear a mini skirt, for example, but then the following week if she turns 30 she should throw it out, is ludicrous to me. What is the blinking difference?? I wholeheartedly advocate wearing whatever the hell you want to, provided you are comfortable and aren’t offending anyone – and by offending someone I literally mean dressing like the Klu Klux Klan or something, NOT offending someone with the sight of your ageing flesh or crazy clashing colour choices!!

As much as I preach this belief honestly and genuinely though, I still find I’m quite often telling myself, ‘I can’t wear that!‘ or ‘I’m too old for that!‘ I get really irritated with myself for thinking it every time, and yet it’s really hard to shake the self doubt. Damn you, society, and your unrealistic ideals! You would think I’m quite accustomed to feeling a bit awkward in my outfits, considering how I have a preference for dressing like a debutante just to go to work, but strangely I feel fine all dressed up with nowhere to go. Yet the outfit I’m wearing in these pics had me feeling the most uncomfortable I have in ages, and I don’t really know why!

We were heading out to the Foodies Festival in Cannon Hill Park and it was one of those odd, changeable days where the air was very close and muggy and the threat of heavy rain seemed imminent for the majority of the day. It was pretty sticky so I didn’t want to wear jeans, but equally, flats didn’t seem like a sensible option since it appeared there was a very high chance we’d get caught in a torrential downpour (I don’t know about you, but I can’t stand the feeling of damp or squelchy shoes!) so my new trainers were the obvious choice. Now, all the components of this outfit are things that I wear regularly – tea dresses are one of my wardrobe staples, we already know I can’t live without this denim jacket and I’ve been mad about my trainers ever since getting them, despite them being a little different to my normal style. Yet altogether as an ensemble, I felt like a bit of a fraud. I kept telling myself it was too young, and kept asking my other half, ‘Can I really pull this off?? Are you sure??’

Looking back at the pictures now I’m not really sure why I felt so uncomfortable. It’s really not as youthful as I thought at the time, in fact, I really like it! I’ll be sure not to let the doubt creep in again!

Love,

In this post: Butterfly tea dress, Oasis (Similar) – Denim Jacket, New Look (Similar) – White & Gold trainers, New Look – ‘Laurel Wesley Place’ Bag, Kate Spade (Similar)